Author: Drinks Enthusiast

As you may have seen, over the last year or so there’s been a lack of consistent posts from me in regards to product showcases, events and news. Due to the likes of Manchester Rum Festival and the brand agency expanding, time has become a factor and it’s with this that this will be the last post for the foreseeable future.

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The Hayman family today announce the upcoming launch of Charles Merser & Co. – London’s first rum blending house for over one hundred years. Based from a four-story merchant’s house located just off the Strand and moments from the River Thames, the new brand will follow in the traditions of London’s late, great rum blending houses by sourcing, blending, marrying and bottling a range of aged Caribbean rums from the heart of the capital.

Explaining the motivation behind the new brand, James Hayman comments:
“For over one hundred years, the streets of London were home to a bustling network of merchant rum blending houses. The merchant’s skill lay not in distilling but rather in the sourcing, blending and secondary maturation of the rum. Our family was involved in the trade for some time – sourcing stock from West India Docks to create our own proprietary blends. We’re proud to play a role in bringing the lost craft of rum blending back to the city.”

The move marks a new phase for the Hayman family, who are best known for their eponymous range of gins.

Explaining the link between English Gin and London Rum, Brand Director Jonathan Gibson comments:
“Over recent years, people have come to understand the important role that gin has played in London’s social history but rum’s story remains untold. London was for a long time at the heart of the global trade in rum, with blending houses playing a vital role in creating the finished rums that were widely enjoyed in the 18th and 19th Centuries. With Merser’s we aim to explore that history, to bring back those lost traditions and to encourage a renaissance of interest in London rum.”

The project has been a major development – involving the creation of a London bonded warehouse for secondary cask maturation and the restoration of a 19th century merchant’s house from which the brand will prototype its blends, entertain trade and host consumer tours. The historically-informed Merser’s brand sets out to celebrate the layers of flavour that a traditional approach to rum blending can bring.

Explaining the method, James Hayman comments:
“We have taken great pains to make our London rums the same way they were made here over one hundred years ago. We source the best Caribbean rums we can find, we blend them to create balance, nuance and layers of flavour and then we marry them in cask – right here in London – for a period of months just as our predecessors did. We do not add sugar, flavours or colour. What you see is a natural product of distillation, careful blending and cask maturation – distilled in the Caribbean but very much made in London.”

The standout packaging has been carefully developed to tell a story about London’s historic connection to rum.

Explaining the design, Jonathan Gibson comments:
‘The pack is a celebration of London’s rum blending heritage. The dimpled texture of the bottle is a nod to the dappled surface of the River Thames, along which barges were once used to transport casks of rum to blending houses such as ours. The hound and post logo harks back to a time when the majority of Londoners were illiterate and would find their way to merchant houses by means of symbols. And the name itself is an old English occupational surname – literally meaning ‘merchant’ it is an allusion to the mercantile rum blending traditions that we are proud to bring back.”

Merser’s Double Barrel launches in the UK in October at an RRP of £38 with a listing in Waitrose and further blends to follow over the coming months. Merser’s blending house will be opened to trade and consumer guests from mid-October. The brand will be distributed in the UK by Symposium.

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Following the grant awarded to the charity by the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation in July 2019, The Benevolent is pleased to invite bartenders and hospitality workers to their ‘Minds Matter’ mental health workshops.

The purpose of ‘Minds Matter’ is to create a Benevolent certified Mental Health Awareness course that encourages bartenders to thrive by embracing self-care, acquiring knowledge of mental health and learning how to feel confident to ask for help when needed.

During the workshops, attendees will learn about mental health and everyday techniques to build resilience, and they will leave knowing what to do if life throws a cocktail of problems at them.

The first ‘Minds Matter’ session will be held on 7th November at Tanner & Co. in London, and it’s the first of three workshops that will be organised by the drinks industry charity over 2019 and 2020 in different cities of the UK. Further communications about the next workshops will be provided in due course.

The Benevolent’s ‘Minds matter’ workshops are free of charge, however The Benevolent can only accommodate 100 bartenders per session. You can sign up to the London’s session by clicking HERE.

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This weekend saw the return of the legendary Glenfiddich Festival Experiment for round three. Bigger and better than ever before, this year’s festival welcomed more than 1,200 members of the on-trade from around the world to celebrate the bartending industry.

The private two-day festival was first launched in 2017 as a thank you to the Scottish hospitality industry for its continued support of Glenfiddich, and to celebrate the brand’s experimental nature. Since then it has tripled in size to become the UK’s largest festival for the on-trade community, with tickets coveted by bartenders everywhere.

Guests were treated to immersive entertainment and brand experiences designed to help drive forward their own ability to experiment and push the boundaries in their careers, whilst still keeping the appreciation for the hospitality industry at the heart of the celebration.

This year the festival opened its doors even wider, welcoming guests from across the UK and even a few from further afield. More than 450 bartenders from London, Newcastle, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Bristol, Brighton, Cardiff and Dublin joined the party, along with an international contingent from around the world. Scottish Brand Ambassador Mark Thomson and National Brand Ambassador to England & Wales Alex Walker were joined by their global counterparts from South Africa and the US to help host this now iconic celebration.

Year three brought more education than ever for attendees, with coopering demonstrations and talks from Malt Master Brian Kinsman on the Main Stage, who lifted the lid on his role, the brand and the industry in a live Q&A. Guest speaker Fabiano Latham, UK Reyka Ambassador, discussed ‘Adventurivity’, in the Tipi Lounge, coaching guests on maintaining health and wellness in the hospitality industry. Guests had the chance to take part in whisky tastings led by the Glenfiddich Brand Ambassador team in a dedicated tasting tent and 450 lucky festival-goers had a chance to tour the Glenfiddich distillery in all its glory.

The Main Stage saw Glenfiddich Festival Experiment Veterans Twin Atlantic take to the stage for their third year, whilst Franz Ferdinand gave their debut headline performance with fan favourites including Take Me Out and No You Girls. Other acts to grace the big top over the two days were: Fatherson, The Snuts, Be Charlotte, and The Ninth Wave.

Twin Atlantic said: “It’s great to be part of something that’s so closely associated with excellence in Scotland, and it’s really exciting to see a new idea for a music festival start to really take off.”

Both nights finished in style at the Forest Stage which saw late-night sets from Spencer Mac and Jeremy Healy as well as DJ battles between Glenfiddich Brand Ambassadors from the UK, US and South Africa.

Across the festival site, bartenders found themselves on the other side of the bar being served with a selection of Glenfiddich cocktails, with crowd favourite the Stag Colada providing tropical vibes with its lime, pineapple and Absinthe flavours blended with Glenfiddich Our Solera 15. A wider selection of amazing food was provided by The Pitt’s independent street food vendors including The Buffalo Truck, Ròst Eats and The Fire Pitt.

Turtle Higgins, bartender at Abandon Ship in Dundee, commented: “The Glenfiddich Festival Experiment is one of the highlights of the year for many people within the industry. I’ve been lucky enough to see it grow from its first inception and the amount of work that goes into organising behind the scenes is mind-boggling! The festival is a testament to Glenfiddich and how much they want to make this the best possible experience year on year. And the music? I’m still smiling two days later… every band was amazing!”

Mark Thomson, Glenfiddich’s Ambassador to Scotland, commented: “As a Glenfiddich Ambassador, I want as many people as possible to experience the brand and its maverick ethos of pushing the boundaries. The Glenfiddich Festival Experiment has grown from 350 bartenders in its first year to over 1,200, retaining the same purpose throughout; to have fun and educate. This year’s festival had both in abundance and I couldn’t be more proud of not only how all the guests interacted and enjoyed the event but of every member of the team that made it so special.”

Alex Walker, National Brand Ambassador, commented: “Attending my first Glenfiddich Festival Experiment was a huge honour. It’s fantastic to be able to say thank you to our wonderful industry friends from across the country and around the world. And to see how it has grown into the biggest festival of its kind is truly mind blowing.”

#GlenfiddichFestivalExperiment

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The City of Manchester Distillery, home of Manchester Three Rivers Gin and the original ‘Gin Experience’, has launched its next immersive experience as it looks to bring consumers together over a tot of rum.

The City of Manchester Distillery opened its doors in 2016 and has since gone on to establish itself as the No. 1 ‘Things to Do’ in Manchester by Trip Advisor.

Having won a variety of awards for its liquids and experiences, The City of Manchester Distillery is an essential stop on any tour of city. Dave Rigby, owner and Master Distiller of the City of Manchester Distillery has decided to expand the experiences to include rum, capitalising on the recognition that the distillery has become the first in the history of Greater Manchester to be recognised with a full distiller licence.

Partnering up with Dave Marsland of the Manchester Rum Festival, the Manchester Rum Experience promises a 3-hour interactive, liquid adventure where guests can expect to tour the distillery, learn all about the history and diversity of rum, sample a variety of styles, drink classic and bespoke cocktail creations and visit ‘The Lab’ to fill their own mini barrel in this unique, tasting/making experience.

Dave Rigby says, “Our motivation with the new ‘Rum Experience’ was to pay homage to some of the influences which drove us to build the distillery at the outset. As a collective we have been on an amazing journey over the last few years and as such we wanted to share some of these incredible experiences, stories and some of the fun we’d had, through a range of new and diverse, interactive events at the distillery.”

With support from a host of award-winning brands including Chairman’s Reserve, Bacardi, Don Q, Appleton Estate, Diplomatico, Pussers, Wray & Nephew, Doorly’s, Plantation and Gosling’s, as well as Neat Glass, the ultimate spirits tasting glass, customers will be experiencing a huge breadth of history in one of the fastest growing spirit categories.

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Last year, RumFest saw over 2,500 visitors descend on London’s Earl’s Court to see some of the biggest names and the most exciting newcomers in the industry. This year promises to be just as impressive. Taking place on Friday 18th October, The RumFest Trade Show & Conference will see new and boutique rum brands showcasing their products to industry professionals, buyers and key decision makers from influential retailers, whilst a panel of experts will be discussing ‘Understanding Rum GI’s, Appellations & PDO’s’ at the third annual RumFest Conference.

The following day, RumFest’s consumer show will open its doors, welcoming rum bars, brands, mixologists and master blenders, who’ll be presenting a series of workshops, seminars, tastings and demonstrations over two days on 19th and 20th October. The festival, sponsored by Coca-Cola Signature Mixers, will feature over 400 of the most diverse rums from across the globe, all under one roof. There’ll also be food from the Heart & Soul food buffet, and entertainment and dance during the RumFest Carnival hour. For more information and tickets, visit rumfest.co.uk.

The RumFest Trade Show & Conference is the UK’s premier event for professionals in the industry, having provided a platform for emerging, independent and boutique rum brands for well over a decade. The show welcomes some of the biggest names in rum, as well as wholesalers, distributors, buyers and importers for an impressive series of masterclasses, tastings, discussions and debates on some of the hottest topics and biggest issues facing the industry today. This year, head sponsors of RumFest and the RumFest Trade Show & Conference, Coca-Cola Signature Mixers, will be presenting a seminar during the show.

Building on its longstanding reputation as the original mixer, Coca-Cola Signature Mixers are a global first for the brand. Enlisting some of the world’s most influential and innovative mixologists they created four new crafted Coca-Cola Signature Mixers, specifically designed to be paired with premium dark spirits. At Rum Fest 2019, visitors will have the chance to experience each of the four Signature Mixers and attend a free tasting masterclass. In addition, Global Rum Ambassador, Ian Burrell, will be curating a bespoke highball menu pairing the signature mixers with premium rums.

Ana Amura, Senior Brand Manager at Coca-Cola Great Britain, comments:
“As the original mixer, Coca-Cola has always had a history with dark spirits and with the rise of quality mixed drinks, we’re really excited about the launch of Coca-Cola Signature Mixers. There is clearly a demand for quality cocktails and it’s great to be at this year’s RumFest to open up the world of mixology to an even wider audience.”

“Premium Rum has seen incredible growth in the UK over the past few years as consumer learn about the various styles of rum on offer and how to appreciate them. The UK RumFest, since 2007, has been a major contributor to the rise and we are proud to continue educating Rum lovers from across the globe in our 13th year ”

The festival will feature over 400 rums to be sipped, savoured and enjoyed in cocktails. This includes an impressive number of the world’s most exclusive rums, which can be sampled with Golden Tot Tokens, the event’s exclusive currency. It will be the first time these super premium rums can be sampled in the UK.

New to the festival this year is the Craft RumFest, showing traditionally made rums. Open to all ticket-holders over the course of the weekend, its purpose is to encourage rum enthusiasts to identify and understand the style of rum they are sipping. All spirits being presented will meet strict criteria, including being 100% pot distilled or distilled in traditional single or double column, and having no additional flavours or spices.

Also exhibiting over the weekend are a number of rum bars – including award-winning tropical tiki bar, Laki Kane and Retro, Polynesian cocktail bar, Trailer Happiness – who’ll be introducing their ‘star-tenders’ to mix show-stopping signature serves.

Elsewhere during the festival, ticket-holders will be able to place bids at the Rum Auction, for premium rums priced from £150 – £3500. There will also be food available throughout the show courtesy of the Heart & Soul food buffet, and entertainment and dancing during the festival’s Carnival hour.

RumFest standard tickets are now on sale from £42.50, which includes access to all areas of the event and tasting from all exhibitors. For press applications, please contact george@wearefullfat.com. For full information on RumFest and to buy tickets head to rumfest.co.uk.

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Forever at the forefront of trends, the team at Super Lyan led by Ryan Chetiyawardana, started to explore kegged cocktails many years ago. Fast forward five years and meet the Tennessee Nitro Martini – one of the bar’s signature drinks – created with Jack Daniel’s and the first espresso martini in the world to be served on tap. Following the success of their subsequent, ground-breaking Tennessee Nitro Tours in 2018 and the Tennessee Calling competitions, inspired by the mentorship of Jasper ‘Jack’ Daniel by Dan Call and
Master Distiller Nearest Green, Jack Daniel’s and Super Lyan have reunited to create a kegged cocktail manual to share their knowledge used to create the iconic, super consistent Tennessee Nitro Martini serve.

KEG-AS-CRAFT
The cocktail on draft doesn’t have to compromise on quality as long as it’s done properly. Robin Honhold’s Tennessee Nitro Martini combined Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey
with a homemade cola syrup and Sandows Cold Brew Coffee, before being pulled through a nitrous keg system for a soft, effervescent texture reminiscent of Guinness. Served in a coupe and finished with a spritz of bergamot, the result is a creamy, complex cocktail that can be served ‘at break-neck speed’. The use of this pioneering technology means that, as well as a high quality, consistent serve; the resulting cocktail is sustainable and waste-free.

STEP-BY-STEP
The Nitro Legacy Handbook has been exclusively created for bartenders across the UK who want to install their own cocktail taps – giving their customers a new experience whilst delivering consistently great cocktails quickly. This 20-page manual has been designed to demystify the skills needed and educate bartenders on the steps required to design and install the system, as well as the process of producing prebatched kegged recipes across three main categories – straight carbonation, fluffy, velvety nitrogen and non-fizzy drinks – all determined by your choice of gas, pressure and serving nozzle.

EDUCATION AND MENTORSHIP
Frank McGivern, UK Advocacy Manager at Brown Forman comments “It has been incredible to experience the reaction to the Tennessse Nitro Martini via our UK tour over the last year and we look forward to continuing to support the on-trade community through mentorship and education with this one of a kind manual. Super Lyan’s commitment to innovation, consistency and quality has made this a natural partnership for Jack Daniel’s and we are excited to share our knowledge of kegged cocktails with UK bartenders.”

Ryan Chetiyawardana, founder of Super Lyan says “Consistency and quality are two of the core principles that Super Lyan was founded upon, and we are passionate about sharing the processes and knowledge we have refined with Jack Daniel’s through the Nitro Legacy Handbook.”

Demonstrating the mentorship and education that Jack Daniel’s has continued to pioneer, the Nitro Legacy Handbook will provide guidance to those who want to install a tap in their own venues and leverage the kegged trend to deliver consistent, quality cocktails to their guests. A limited run of hard copies will be available, as well as a digital edition which will be hosted online for download. The Tennessee Nitro Martini tour will continue in 2019 with European dates confirmed from March.

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Glenfiddich, the World’s Most Awarded Single Malt Scotch Whisky, pays homage to its origins in the Valley of the Deer with a striking new package design for its 12 and 15 Year Old iconic whiskies. The new packaging will be rolled out in the UK and US to begin with from 18th June 2019, with Small Batch 18 Year Old following suit in 2020.

The bold new look celebrates Glenfiddich’s maverick beginnings and family-run heritage and combines it with a more sophisticated and elegant design. The 12 Year Old has been given a refined makeover and is now known as the ‘Our Original Twelve’, as a clear nod to the brand’s signature expression. Whereas the 15 Year Old is rebranded as the ‘Our Solera Fifteen’, as a more overt celebration of the Solera system, which is a true innovation in the whisky industry. The redesign provides a fresh and distinctive new look, creates standout and is intended to appeal to current drinkers as well as entice those around the world who are new to the brand and category.

Glenfiddich means “The Valley of The Deer” and its location in Speyside, Scotland, is where William Grant, Glenfiddich’s visionary founder, turned his dreams into reality in 1887 by hand-building the distillery with the help of his seven sons and two daughters in a single year. In honour of the brand’s home, the new design now features this clearly defined valley, cut into the face of the glass, to give a more chiselled profile. The iconic Stag symbol, embossed in gold, also proudly sits within the V of the valley shape. William Grant’s signature is gold emblazoned on the bottle top.

Claudia Falcone, Glenfiddich Global Brand Director said: “We wanted to emphasise Glenfiddich’s special provenance and unique heritage with this stylish new design, drawing cues from the special place where our liquid is produced. Our flagship range of expressions are some of the world’s best-selling and most awarded single malts, so it was really important to reflect the undoubted quality of the liquid with a stunning and contemporary look.”

Ifan Jenkins, UK Marketing Director comments: “We are delighted that the UK has been chosen as first to market for the iconic new Glenfiddich packaging. As the number one single malt whisky in both Scotland and across the UK, Glenfiddich is a flagship brand that we are immensely proud of and we will continue to push the boundaries with our beautiful new visual identity and disruptive activations.”

Glenfiddich’s signature malt, ‘Our Original Twelve’, is matured in the finest Oloroso sherry and bourbon casks and uniquely married in oak tuns for at least 12 years, to give a beautifully balanced nose complemented by refreshingly rich and complex notes of fresh pear and subtle oak. The Glenfiddich 15 Year Old, now proudly called ‘Our Solera Fifteen’ is a single malt innovation first pioneered in 1998. The Solera system marries whiskies matured in sherry, bourbon and new oak casks. Always kept at least half full, the Solera Vat creates a harmonious whisky with deep layers of warm spice, honey and fruit, that gets richer and more complex every year.

Glenfiddich’s Malt Master, Brian Kinsman added: “These whiskies are crafted to ensure the highest quality taste and flavour, the complexities of which are influenced by the River Spey and surrounding landscape. It’s great to honour this provenance and the historic home of Glenfiddich in such a refined way.”

The new packaging has been designed by award-winning East London design agency HERE design.

Available in retail outlets from Tuesday 18th June 2019, Glenfiddich Our Original Twelve has a recommended retail price of £38 and Glenfiddich Our Solera Fifteen has a recommended retail price of £42.

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Stranger & Sons, one of the first gins to be made in India since the country gained independence in the 1940s, as well as one of only a handful to reach UK shores, has launched. Stranger & Sons is the debut gin from the team at Third Eye Distillery, based off the beaten track in Ponda, a district in South Goa with a rich history of spice farming.

Introducing Stranger & Sons

The creation of Mumbai-based Sakshi Saigal, alongside her husband Rahul Mehra and her cousin Vidur Gupta, Stranger & Sons celebrates the abundance and diversity of high quality botanicals and inherently Indian spices, which provide the gin with its unique flavor.

An ode to India’s agricultural and spice heritage, Stranger & Sons is distilled with a selection of seven botanicals found in the country’s household kitchens, in addition to juniper and angelica root. These include a bouquet of locally cultivated and handpicked spices such as coriander seeds, black pepper and cassia bark along with a blend of four Indian citrus peels.

The resulting gin is a light and refreshing, three-dimensional spirit with spiced overtones, followed by an earthy, sweet aftertaste.

Inspired by the wonderful strangeness found in India’s cultural diversity, colour and customs, the founders named their gin ‘Stranger’, whilst ‘& Sons’ refers to the common suffix of traditional Indian family-owned businesses that are passed down through generations within that family.

Third Eye Distillery

Utilising the best in contemporary technology, Stranger & Sons gin is distilled in small batches in a state of the art iStill which has been calibrated to highlight the individual flavours of each of the nine botanicals and spices that lend this three-dimensional spirit its characteristic complexity and aroma, and ensures a consistent batch every time.

Crucial to the Third Eye Distillery’s operation is the support of the local community. Women from a local self-help group are employed to peel the four local citrus fruits that perfume the gin, before the distillery returns the flesh of the fruit to them. The women then use this surplus fruit to create pickles and cordials for Stranger & Sons’ cocktails, thus providing them with additional income and minimising food waste.

Stranger serves

Stranger & Sons has created two signature serves that celebrate the relationship they have with the local community in Goa, and India’s history of pickling: the classic Gibson Martini, made using pickles, and the Gimlet, made with fruit cordial. Versions of these serves are currently available at the likes of Happiness Forgets, Sager + Wilde and TT Liquor.

Stranger & Sons is offering bartenders a cordial invitation to join its peculiar path of pickling, encouraging each to put their stamp on these signature cocktails and inspiring them on a journey of making pickles and cordials.

Stranger & Sons will be available later this month to the on-trade through Scotch+Limon, Third Eye Distillery’s exclusive UK distribution partner.

“As avid gin drinkers, we always heard of India spoken about in gin circles, as the country has long been a vital supplier of botanicals for the international gin market; but surprisingly there weren’t many craft gins being created in India. So we decided to distil our own quality Indian spirits, starting with this small batch gin which uses common spices and botanicals found in every Indian household.

“We have carefully sourced the majority of our spices from the Indian spice belt, and fruits from across the country to create a gin which perfectly captures the spirit of India. We are so excited to be launching Stranger & Sons in the UK, and we can’t wait to see the creativity of UK bartenders and the serves they come up with.”

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The 100% agave tequila from the Orendain family, one of the original founders of the Tequila industry, Batanga is now available to UK wholesalers from Emporia Brands.

Established in 1926 by Don Eduardo Orendain, Batanga Tequila is traditionally distilled using 100% agave grown on one estate in the heart of Jalisco in Mexico. The Orendain family is considered as one of the four oldest tequila families and one of the actual founders (among Cuervo, Sauza and Herradura) of the Tequila industry. The company is run by the second generation of the family with the third generation now starting to have an active role. The CRT (Tequila Regulatory Council) recognise the Orendain legacy, naming Don Eduardo Orendain as a founder within their building.

Batanga Tequila is made using the Orendain families own agave fields to support local production and growth with only the best agaves being used to guarantee the excellent flavour and taste profiles with only traditional production methods being used (no diffusers are used at any point!).

The name Batanga comes from Don Javier Delgado Corona. In the western Mexico town of Tequila, there’s a small, nondescript cantina called La Capilla – home of the Batanga, a simple drink created in the 1950s by Don Javier Delgado Corona, the bar’s owner.
The Batanga is simple: nothing more than tequila, cola and fresh lime juice served in a tall glass with a salted rim. But as Don Javier will tell you, its flavour isn’t only in the ingredients – it’s the big knife which he uses to stir the cocktail, that’s the secret to the perfect Batanga.

Two expressions are now available to the UK market;

Batanga Tequila Blanco: 38% abv | 70cl

Classic and expressive on the nose with intense typical earthy agave notes of pepper, herbs and mint. Fresh and lively in the mouth with a clean and vivid profile and a long finish.

Batanga Tequila Reposado: 38% abv | 70cl

A fresh and vibrant nose of grass and pepper. Subtle oak plays a complementary role on a palate which shows great refinement and integration, with a crisp flavoursome finish. Aged 4 – 6 months in ex-Bourbon barrels (American White Oak).